and now for conky & gremlins

[PJ]

conky is still working ok...but the calendar is limping...
rather strange
here's the .conkyrc:
snip...
${color green}CALENDAR ${hr 2}$color
#${execi 300 ~/bin/calendar.sh}
${execi 300 cal | awk 'NR>1' | sed -e 's/   /    /g' -e 's/[^ ] /& /g'
-e 's/..*/  &/' -e "s/\ `date +%d`/\[`date +%d`\]/"}

output should be: 1  2  3 [4] 5 6 7 etc.
is:    1 2 3 4 5 6....

the calendar.sh is exactly:
#!/bin/sh
cal | awk 'NR>1' | sed -e 's/   /    /g' -e 's/[^ ] /& /g' -e 's/..*/ 
&/' -e "s/\ `date +%d`/\[`date +%d`\]/"

I upgraded ports and now the calendar.sh cannot be found - it exists;
bash no longer wishes to execute or recognize it...

I am puzzled as to what is going on? I seem to be chasing after gremlins
... again ... and again..
like, even firefox can't be upgraded on one system (identical) but can
on another... bugs & gremlins... oooooooh, gadzooks!