Hello Scamy ~
It was amazing to realize how much of my life revolved around alcohol when I first stopped drinking.
I did the same thing..."gotta stock up for when the store's closed - God knows I can't run out of booze; St. Paddy's day comin' up - green beer and erin go bragh; got a new job, let's celebrate; just got laid off, gotta drown my sorrows; it's raining, I'm bored, might as well drink; it's sunny out, beachtime - grab the cooler, let's go!!"
Everything was a license to drink and if something didn't occur naturally, I found myself creating reasons to justify it.
Now that's insane...
Fortunately, I found that the association of events, etc. and its association with alcohol lessens in time. Now I don't 'react' to situations with thoughts of a drink - it's just the way it is.
Good thing, too - I always told my friends that I'll never understand how/why I got sober during a recession :rotfxkobut I did and think it's actually made me a stronger and better person for it.