diff --git a/noblocking_turtle_shell.py b/noblocking_turtle_shell.py
index 011050a..012c927 100644
--- a/noblocking_turtle_shell.py
+++ b/noblocking_turtle_shell.py
@@ -1,60 +1,76 @@
 import cmd
-from threading import Thread, Event
-from turtle import bye
-from queue import Queue, Empty
-
+import threading
+from queue import Queue
+from turtle import forward
 from equipment.turtle_device import TurtleDevice
 
 
-class TurtleDeviceThread(Thread):
+class TurtleDeviceThread(threading.Thread):
     def __init__(self):
         super().__init__()
         self.device = TurtleDevice()
-        self.queue = Queue()
-        
+
+        self.queue = Queue[tuple]()
+
+        self.device.open()
+        self.device.execute("speed", 1)
+
     def run(self):
         while True:
-            try:
-                item = self.queue.get()
-            except self.queue.Empty:
-                continue
-            else:
-                if (item == 'exit'):
-                    break
-                self.device.execute(*item)
+            action, args, kwargs = self.queue.get()
+            if action == "exit":
                 self.queue.task_done()
-        
+                break
+            self.device.execute(action, *args, **kwargs)
+            self.queue.task_done()
+
+    def add_task(self, action, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.queue.put((action, args, kwargs))
+
 
 class NoBlockingTurtleShell(cmd.Cmd):
-    intro = 'Welcome to the turtle shell.   Type help or ? to list commands.\n'
-    prompt = '(turtle) '
+    intro = "Welcome to the turtle shell.   Type help or ? to list commands.\n"
+    prompt = "(turtle) "
     file = None
 
     def __init__(self, turtle_thread: TurtleDeviceThread):
-        super(NoBlockingTurtleShell, self).__init__()
+        super().__init__()
         self.turtle_thread = turtle_thread
-        
+
+    @property
+    def turtle_device(self):
+        return self.turtle_thread.device
 
     def do_execute(self, arg):
-        self.turtle_thread.queue.put(parse(arg))
+        command_and_args = arg.split()
+        if len(command_and_args) == 1:
+            self.turtle_thread.add_task(command)
+            return
+        command = command_and_args[0]
+        args = tuple(int(c) if c.isdecimal() else c for c in command_and_args[1:])
+        self.turtle_thread.add_task(command, *args)
 
-    def do_exit(self, arg):
-        self.close()
-        self.turtle_thread.queue.put("exit")
+
+    def do_forward(self, arg):
+        'Move the turtle forward by the specified distance:  FORWARD 10'
+        self.do_execute("forward 100")
+    def do_right(self, arg):
+        'Turn turtle right by given number of degrees:  RIGHT 20'
+        self.do_execute("right 100")
+    def do_left(self, arg):
+        'Turn turtle left by given number of degrees:  LEFT 90'
+        self.do_execute("left 100")
+    def do_bye(self, arg):
+        'Stop recording, close the turtle window, and exit:  BYE'
         print('Thank you for using Turtle')
+        self.turtle_thread.add_task("exit")
         return True
-        
-        
-    def close(self):
-        if self.file:
-            self.file.close()
-            self.file = None
 
-def parse(arg):
-    'Convert a series of zero or more numbers to an argument tuple'
-    return tuple(arg.split())
 
-if __name__ == '__main__':
+if __name__ == "__main__":
     turtle_thread = TurtleDeviceThread()
-    turtle_thread.start()
-    NoBlockingTurtleShell(turtle_thread).cmdloop()
\ No newline at end of file
+    turtle_thread.daemon = True
+    thread_shell = threading.Thread(target=NoBlockingTurtleShell(turtle_thread).cmdloop)
+    thread_shell.start()
+    turtle_thread.run()
+    thread_shell.join()
diff --git a/tests/controls/test_device.py b/tests/for_controls/test_device.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/controls/test_device.py
rename to tests/for_controls/test_device.py
diff --git a/tests/equipment/test_turtle_device.py b/tests/for_equipment/test_turtle_device.py
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/equipment/test_turtle_device.py
rename to tests/for_equipment/test_turtle_device.py
diff --git a/turtle_shell.py b/turtle_shell.py
index 20464cf..ac22aab 100644
--- a/turtle_shell.py
+++ b/turtle_shell.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ class TurtleShell(cmd.Cmd):
     # ----- basic turtle commands -----
     def do_forward(self, arg):
         'Move the turtle forward by the specified distance:  FORWARD 10'
-
         forward(*parse(arg))
     def do_right(self, arg):
         'Turn turtle right by given number of degrees:  RIGHT 20'