[SOLVED] Widget Area in footer, not even being created

I've been beating my head on this for a couple days. I want to put a widget area in my footer, preferably 3 or 4 side by side, but I can't even get one at this point. I have tested out the minimum sample code and it worked once when I put it in the header (this has been deleted since), but it hasn't worked once when I try to place it in the footer. By this I mean I see no evidence of new widget area(s) on the Appearance > Widgets page, or in the list at the top of the 'add new widget area' page in Atahualpa.

I've searched thru old and new posts about this. I tried the offered code over here: http://forum.bytesforall.com/showthread.php?t=8499 - nothing. I reload the public side of the site several times, I reload the Appearance > Widgets page several times, nothing. The only thing I've seen, is that when I use the Examples offered on the "add new widget area" page in Ata 3.5.3, or on the forum page I linked to above, on the public side of my site there is dangling bit of code showing in the footer area [&after_widget='); ?> ].

Using WP 3.0.1, Atahualpa 3.5.3, PHP 5.2.12

Any help would be greatly appreciated! ~Christine