Widget format issue on top page

As seen at this link https://qvillage.net/2011/12/possible-formatting-issue-with-qvillage-website/ My primary widgets on the left side of the blog page are overlapping the background instead of sitting in the light colored middle section. This issue is only happening on the top page. If you click on any post or use the “older post” link, the same posts sit right on the page. I am new to word press and did not originally set up this site. I am using Word Press 3.2.1 and would upgrade but i am not clear on how to set up child themes and last time I update the software, I lost all my customizations. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am willing to learn this software package but right now I am not “smarter than a 5th grader”.
-Andy