I don't see any means of adding a background image to my site other than through the "quick page" set up . And even then it doesn't seem to work. And that means that it doesn't work if I choose my own image or try to use and image from the library provided.

Another problem is that I don't see a means to "anchor" images. There are only rough alignments apparently available.

I need to place 4 link images on the page in kind of a grid. These will NOT be align left or right or bottom or top but in the middle of the page.

This is kind of wierd:)

I don't see a means to create "hot spots" for links in specific parts of a graphic either.

Please see the graphic of the page I want to produce.

Backgrounds and other images can be arranged however you want within your HTML/CSS.
Rahn, what version of the HTML Editor are you using?

Rahn, that image was much too small for my eyes to see much.

What do you mean by anchor images? Making them into a link? You do that in the dialogue you have when you insert the image, or you can do it manually after having inserted them.