main window not redrawing after dialog closes

[Rob Benton <rob benton conwaycorp net>]

In my main window I open a filechooser dialog then close it, set the 
mouse cursor to Gdk::WATCH, call a function, then change back the 
cursor.  The problem is after the dialog closes the main window does not 
immediately redraw and the cursor does not immediately change.  It's not 
until my function is nearly finished that these things happen.  What 
could be my problem here?  Maybe I'm not understanding the way X events 
fit in with non-X operations.

my code:

void MainWindow::menu_open()
{
    Gtk::FileChooserDialog dialog(*this, "Open File",
        Gtk::FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_OPEN);
    dialog.add_button(Gtk::Stock::CANCEL, Gtk::RESPONSE_CANCEL);
    dialog.add_button(Gtk::Stock::OPEN, Gtk::RESPONSE_OK);
    int response = dialog.run();
    dialog.hide();

    if (response == Gtk::RESPONSE_OK)
    {
        // change cursor while working
        get_window()->set_cursor(Gdk::Cursor(Gdk::WATCH));
        _filename = Glib::filename_to_utf8(dialog.get_filename());
        _member_widget->read_from_xml(_filename);
        // enable menu items
        _save->set_sensitive();
        _save_as->set_sensitive();
        _close->set_sensitive();
        _export_to_html->set_sensitive();
        get_window()->set_cursor();
    }
}