diff --git a/src/client.rs b/src/client.rs
index 231f86b..f962125 100644
--- a/src/client.rs
+++ b/src/client.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,83 @@
+
+use std::io::{self, BufRead, BufReader, BufWriter, LineWriter, Write};
+use std::net::TcpStream;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::os::unix::net::UnixStream;
+
+use dirs;
+use serde::Deserialize;
+
 use crate::cli;
+use crate::sand::message::{AddTimerResponse, Command};
+
+fn get_sock_path() -> Option<PathBuf> {
+    if let Ok(path) = std::env::var("SAND_SOCK_PATH") {
+        Some(path.into())
+    } else {
+        Some(dirs::runtime_dir()?.join("sand.sock"))
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_durations(strs: &[String]) -> u64 {
+    // todo 
+    2000
+}
+
+struct DaemonConnection {
+    read: BufReader<UnixStream>,
+    write: LineWriter<UnixStream>,
+}
+
+impl DaemonConnection {
+    fn new(sock_path: PathBuf) -> io::Result<Self> {
+        let stream = UnixStream::connect(sock_path)?;
+
+        let read = BufReader::new(stream.try_clone()?);
+        let write = LineWriter::new(stream);
+
+        Ok(Self { read, write })
+    }
+
+    fn send(&mut self, cmd: Command) -> io::Result<()> {
+        let str = serde_json::to_string(&cmd).expect("failed to serialize Command {cmd}");
+        writeln!(self.write, "{str}")
+    }
+
+    fn recv<T: for<'de> Deserialize<'de>>(&mut self) -> io::Result<T> {
+        let mut recv_buf = String::with_capacity(128);
+        self.read.read_line(&mut recv_buf)?;
+        let resp: T = serde_json::from_str(&recv_buf).expect(
+            "Bug: failed to deserialize response from daemon"
+        );
+        Ok(resp)
+    }
+}
+
+pub fn main(cmd: cli::CliCommand) -> io::Result<()> {
+    let Some(sock_path) = get_sock_path() else {
+        eprintln!("socket not provided and runtime directory does not exist.");
+        eprintln!("no socket to use.");
+        std::process::exit(1)
+    };
+    
+    let mut conn = match DaemonConnection::new(sock_path) {
+        Ok(conn) => conn,
+        Err(e) => {
+            eprintln!("Error establishing connection with daemon: {e}");
+            std::process::exit(1);
+        },
+    };
 
-pub fn main(cmd: cli::CliCommand) {
     match cmd {
         cli::CliCommand::Start { duration } => {
-            let duration_str = duration.join(" ");
-            println!("Starting new timer for duration: {}", duration_str);
-            todo!();
+            let duration = parse_durations(&duration);
+            conn.send(Command::AddTimer { duration: duration })?;
+            let AddTimerResponse::Ok { id } = conn.recv::<AddTimerResponse>()?;
+            // TODO format duration
+            println!(
+                "Timer {id} created for {duration}."
+            );
+            Ok(())
         }
         cli::CliCommand::Ls => {
             println!("Listing timers...");
diff --git a/src/daemon/handle_client.rs b/src/daemon/handle_client.rs
index 9964468..d92069d 100644
--- a/src/daemon/handle_client.rs
+++ b/src/daemon/handle_client.rs
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ pub async fn handle_client(mut stream: UnixStream, state: DaemonCtx) {
                 Response::Error(err_msg)
             }
         };
-        let resp_str: String = serde_json::to_string(&resp).unwrap();
+        let mut resp_str: String = serde_json::to_string(&resp).unwrap();
+        resp_str.push('\n');
         write_half.write_all(resp_str.as_bytes()).await.unwrap();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 58117bf..adcaff4 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ fn main() -> io::Result<()> {
         }
         CliCommand::Daemon(args) => daemon::main(args),
         _ => {
-            client::main(cli.command);
-            Ok(())
+            client::main(cli.command)
         }
     }
 }