Never mind....I found the error. The template "shopper-gold" file header.tpl has a stray character an (n) at the very top of the file that causes the home page to disfigure when you put an item in the shopping cart. I notice the small in on the page in the upper left hand corner on my home page. I edited the page using a php file editor and reloaded the file into the "shopper-gold" template and all seems good in the neighborhood now.
PS
I only found this error in the "shopper-gold" template
Carlmo