Thank you all for the helpful responses.
Sounds like I am just going through the next stage of my journey. Early in this process, I said to myself that in order to consider myself really better, I need to go through a full year so that I have a chance to experience every season, holiday, every birthday and other event without alcohol. Now I can see that I was really right. I never appreciated how powerful that stuff really is and how much damage it really causes in our brains.
Grubby, I had the vivid dreams several times as well, waking up convinced that I am hungover. Amazing how our brains can trick us!
Dee, thank you for the urge surfing reminder. That is a very useful technique.
Courage2, I appreciate the encouragement and the reminder to train the brain to think "happy thoughts". I need to go back to meditation and focus on mindfulness. It helped me a lot early on.
SoberinSyracuse, I PM'ed you.