The Mad Hatter and the Mad Genius are celebrating their 34^th wedding anniversary today in blissful, scorching Phoenix, Arizona.

Let Stuart Warner, the perpetual storyteller, BJ writing coach and retired haberdashery promoter, relate this tale of his whirlwind courtship with Debbie Van Tassel:

“We had our first and only date on May 22, 1982, moved in together on Monday, May 25 and married exactly four months later, Sept. 25, 1982. Impetuous? Perhaps. But 34 years later, we're still going strong. And every day since has been like opening another present. Happy anniversary, my love.”

They should put that on a billboard. Well, maybe  their daughter Denise could do that. She’s editorial director/digital at Billboard Magazine, which has been serving the music entertainment business since 1894.

Stuart came to the BJ (1979-99) after 10 years with Knight-Ridder's Lexington newspaper. He was at the PD 1999-2008, and is in the Cleveland Press Club Hall of Fame.

And forever in the hearts and minds of those who worked alongside him at Ol’ Blue Walls. One of my favorite moments was when Stuart walked in after a vacation and showed up at the Features Department, which he ran at that time. Every member of his staff was wearing a hat.

After all, Stuart has more hats than the Pope.

The Kaintucky by cracky escapee has two other daughters. Emilie Warner Clemmens and Amanda Warner Poynter.